Historic Burial Ground Excavated Hotel

On Mackinac Island, discovered the developers of a new hotel which seems to be a massive cemetery last week. Police said it is now clear some of the bones discovered in archaeology excavations are people, probably the ancestors of the Indians of Sault Ste Marie Chippewa tribe.

Hundreds of bones have been found so far, after a historic building known as McNally cottage was demolished. The property owner, Ira Green, plans to build a new three-storey hotel where the building once stood. Some of the bones belong to animals, while other human remains. Mayor of Mackinac Island, Margaret Doud, said Saturday she was not surprised, the bones were found on the property. Downtown business owner, Tony Brodeur agreed, "You know, I'm not entirely surprised. ... And now he is very emotional ... There may be a diplomatic solution. "

Remains - and other artifacts can be found - could propose a burial ground or cemetery and digging to find out more this week as work continues. Voluntary almost unchanged, says the three human skeletons were discovered on Monday.

It could be that McNally Cottage was built on a Roman Catholic cemetery from the early 19th century - in a parish where many members were of Indian origin.

Yard goes on in the negotiations between Sault Saint Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, the owner and the City of Mackinac Island. Saturday, employees soil transported to another location, so that tribe members can collect and re-buried again. Representative of the tribe, Cecil Pavlat, says that this is a regrettable situation, but everyone involved is doing their best to do the right thing.

"We will hold a ceremony to bury the traditional Native American ancestors in a respectful manner," he said.

Pavlat said there are plans in place new regulations that would allow a better local plan should remain as they exist on Mackinac Island in the future. There is currently no local law, although developers must follow the law of the state. They need the authorization of a coroner or court order to deliberately undermine the human remains in accordance with the state of Michigan archaeologist, Dean Anderson. It is not clear whether the developer has met these requirements.

One historian thinks more attention to preserving the historical integrity of the site. Brian Leigh Dunnigan is a curator of maps by William L. Clements Library at the University of Michigan, and published a book, which is a history of the region of the Straits of Mackinac iconographic 1615-1860. Dunnigan says that the site is right next to the original church of St. Anne, which was moved in mid-1800. He explained: "When the cemetery was closed in December 1851, most of all burials were removed and a new Catholic cemetery behind Fort Mackinac."

Dunnigan said that there was no scientific way to ensure that each grave was found, it is possible that this represents a relic from the tomb of the cemetery.

"The ancient city of Mackinac Island is so historical, in fact, none of the projects should be carried out without some sort of archaeological mediation to ensure that historic resources are not destroyed, since they seem to have been in this particular case," Dunnigan said.

Ira Green said that the police are involved and the handling of the situation in a manner it deems appropriate. He said that workers continue to move the top soil, doing little by little when they encounter bone.

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